Tool for removing valve guide retaining keys



Dec; 15, 1942. R R F T TN 2,305,245

TOOL FOR REMOVING VALVE GUIDE RETAINING KEYS Filed April 28, 1941 BY V a 1 W AT'rnu/ury Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE V V I V ".2,s05,245 V i I TOOL Eon REMOVING VALVE GUIDE RETAINING KEYS 7 Robert It. Featherston, Fort Morgan, 0010. Application April 23, 1941, Serial No. 390.762

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a tool for removin valve guide retaining keys from automotive engines. In the usual automotive engine the valve stems slide within a split guide member. This guide member is forced inwardly from the top of the valve seat, and a yoke-shaped key is placed on the guide members. The guide member is then forced outwardly to position the key in a socket in the engine block. It is extremely dimcult to remove these keys clue to the-fact they cannot be moved until the guide members are moved and the guide members often firmly adhere to the engine block.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple and highly efiicient tool which will act first to withdraw the guide member sufficiently to release the key from its socket and will then withdraw the key.

Other objects and advantages are to provide a tool of this type which can be inserted in the V-type motors having their valve cover plates between the two banks of cylinders; and to provide means for engaging the valve guide which will automatically adjust itself to an'y position of the guide. 7

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention,'which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency. These will become more apparent from the fol lowing description. n V

In the followingdetailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a top view of the operating end of the improved tool;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail front view of the guide engaging extremity of the improved tool;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the improved tool, illustrating it as it would appear when, being inserted into the engine; a

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side section of the valve extremity of the tool, illustrating it in the act of withdrawing the retaining key; and

Fig. 5 is a detail top view of the guide retaining key which the tool is designed to remove.

A typical engine block of the V-type is indicated in the drawing at I with one of its cylinder heads at I l. A typical valve is illustrated at l2, its stem at i3, valve spring at I4, spring retainer at l5, valve stem guide at It, and valve stem guide retaining key at H.

The valve stem guide I6 is split longitudinally edges 31.

to form two similar parts, each part enclosing one-half of the valve stem [3. The retaining key i1 is provided with a notch 26 and with an ear 2i provided with a tool opening 22. The guide i is formed with an annular key receiving groove It into which the two sides of the notch in thekey i1 slide. Each half of the guide it is formed with a tool notch I9 for receiving any siiita'ble tool for withdrawing the guide. When the guide is inits proper place in the engine block, thekey l'l rests in a retaining socket 23. This invention is designed to simultaneously pull the guide downwardly and inwardly suiiiciently far to release the key I? from its retaining socket 23 and then to withdraw the key H from itsireceiving groove l8. After this operation has been completed, the entire valve as-. sembly can be forced outwardly through the valve seat" opening.

' The improved tool employs a relatively long lever '24 terminating at its outer extremity in a hand grip 25. The inner extremity of the lever is gradually reduced in diameter and bent to one side terminating in a hook 25. A fulcrum block 21 is formed on the hooked extremity immediately backof the hook 26.

-A frame member 28 is hingedly mounted on the lever 24 by means of a suitable hinge bolt 29. The frame member is preferably stamped from sheet metal and at one extremity terminates in two oppositely positioned cars 30 which engage each extremity of the hinge bolt 29. The forward extremity of the frame 28 also terminates in two forwardly projecting ears 31 between which a semi-circular cradle 32 is swingingly mounted'upon suitable pivot pins 33. A rotatable, notched plate 34 is mounted in a groove 35 in the cradle 32 so that it may rotate in a limited arc therein. A tongue 36 projects rearwardly through a slot in the back of the groove 35 and is turned at an angle on the backof the cradle to hold the notched plate 34 in place therein. The two sides of the mid-portion of the frame 28 extend upwardly to form rounded fulcrum I Operation To remove a valve assembly, the tool is forced into the engine block, as shown in Fig. 2, with the plate 34 entering between the turns of the spring I and engaging the two tool notches IS in the guide IS. The lever 24 is then lifted. This causes the hook 26 to enter the hole 22 in the key l1.

The handle 24 is now further lifted and its inner extremity pries downwardly on the retaining key il This causes the hinge bolt 29 to pry upwardly on the outer extremity of the frame until the fulcrum edges 31 contact the engine block. This produces a double leverage. The reaction of the downward pry on the retaining key acts upwardly on the rear extremity of the frame causing the forward extremity thereof to pry downwardly on the valve guide to force the latter inwardly and downwardly from its seat. The instant that the guide has moved sufficiently far to release the key I! from its retaining socket 23, the key will be pulled from its socket by the pressure that is being exerted by the hook Should the key be extremely tight, the fulcrum block 21 will encounterthe engine block and serve to exert a direct pry downwardly and outwardly on the key to pull it from its position.

The above procedure has loosened the guide in its seat and has removed the retaining key so that the entire valve assembly can then be easily forced outwardly through the opening of the valve seat. I

Occasionally the side tool notches l9 will be turned to one side or'the other due to the fact that the guides have been turned while being inserted. As soon as the plate 34 encounters such a condition, it will rotate in its seat in the cradle 32 as it is being inserted to automatically align itself with the position of the notches 19.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A tool for removing notched retaining keys having tool openings from removable'valve stem guides of internal combustion engines comprising: a lever; a hook formed on the forward extremity of said lever for engaging said tool opening; a frame hingedly mounted on and projecting beyond the extremity of said lever, and having two side portions extending forwardly of said lever at each side thereof; a semi-circular cradle pivotally mounted between the two side portions; and means in said cradle for engaging a valve stem guide.

2. A tool for removing notched retaining keys having tool openings from removable valve stem guides of internal combustion engines comprising: a lever; a hook formed on the forward extremity of said lever for engaging said tool opening; a frame hingedly mounted on and projecting beyond the extremity of said lever, and having two side portions extending forwardly of said lever at each side thereof; a semi-circular cradle pivotally mounted between the two side portions; and a notched plate rotatably mounted in said cradle for engaging a Valve stem guide.

3. A tool for removing notched retaining keys having tool openings from' removable valve stem guides of internal combustion engines comprising: a lever; a hook formed on the forward extremity of said lever for engaging said tool opening; a frame hingedly mounted on and projecting beyond the extremity of'said lever and having two side portions extending forwardly of said lever at each Side thereof; means on said frame for engaging a valve stem guide; and means on said side comprising raised curved edges portions extending above a line down from said hinge connection and said engaging means to contact an engine block and provide a prying fulcrum.

4. A tool for removing valve guide retaining keys comprising: a relatively long lever; a hooked point formed on one extremity of the lever, said pointbeing bent to one side of the longitudinal axis of said lever; a channel-like frame member ,7 enclosing the hooked extremity of said lever; a

pivot member on said lever, the inner extremity of said frame member being pivoted thereto; and a bifurcated outer extremity on said frame member positioned forwardly of and in axial alignment with said lever.

5. A tool for removing valve guide retaining keys'comprising: a relatively long lever; a hooked point formed on one extremity of the lever, said point being bent to one side of the longitudinal axis of said lever; a channel-like frame member enclosing the hooked extremity of said lever; a pivot member on said lever, the inner extremity of said frame member being pivoted thereto; a bifurcated outer extremity on said frame member positioned forwardly of and in axial alignment with said lever; and a notched cradle member swingingly mounted between the furcations of the bifurcated outer extremity.

6. A tool for removing valve guide retaining keys comprising: a relatively long lever; a hooked point formed on one extremity of the lever,said point being bent to one side of the longitudinal axis of said lever; a channellike frame member enclosing the hooked'extremity of said lever; a pivot member on said lever, the inner extremity of said frame member being-pivoted thereto; a bifurcated outer extremity on said frame member positioned forwardly of and in axial alignment with said lever; a notched cradle member swingingly mounted between the furcations of the bifur cated outer extremity; and a rotatable, notched plate mounted in said cradle with its notch directed forwardly of said lever.

'7. A tool for removing valve guide retaining keys comprising: a relatively long lever; a hooked point formed on one extremity of the lever, said point being bent to one side of the longitudinal axis of said lever; a channel-like frame member enclosing the hooked extremity of said lever; a pivot member on said lever, the inner extremity of said frame member being pivoted thereto; a bifurcated outer extremity on said frame member positioned'iorwardly of andin axial alignment with said lever; and two side members on said frame extending to thesame side of the axis of said lever as said hooked extremity and beyond the latter, there being one side member on each side of said hooked extremity to provide a'fulcrum for said frame.

7 ROBERT E. FEATHERSTON. 

